In Project Haldane, the British Army’s endeavour to breathe new life into its reserve forces, the Army faces a unique opportunity to ensure its Reserve is configured for the next war; how it reacts may determine its future as a Reference Force.

The articles below were informed by a roundtable discussion in London in October 2018 between the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) and RUSI to discuss the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. While the discussion revealed some differences in perspective, it was agreed that expert dialogue can play an important role in informing the policy positions of all governments concerned.

Modern deterrence is concerned with how countries employ their resilience potential to deter today’s hybrid threats, especially through the involvement of the private sector and civil society. New approaches will likely build on the practices already developed by countries exhibiting a strategy of ‘total defence’.

A debate on defence spending that has re-emerged within the NATO Alliance seems to have exacerbated tensions between the two sides of the transatlantic partnership. Continuing a long tradition of defining itself in opposite terms against its neighbour to the south, Canada’s approach to this debate offers a rarely explored take on burden sharing within the Alliance.

In Project Haldane, the British Army’s endeavour to breathe new life into its reserve forces, the Army faces a unique opportunity to ensure its Reserve is configured for the next war; how it reacts may determine its future as a Reference Force.

The articles below were informed by a roundtable discussion in London in October 2018 between the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) and RUSI to discuss the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. While the discussion revealed some differences in perspective, it was agreed that expert dialogue can play an important role in informing the policy positions of all governments concerned.

Modern deterrence is concerned with how countries employ their resilience potential to deter today’s hybrid threats, especially through the involvement of the private sector and civil society. New approaches will likely build on the practices already developed by countries exhibiting a strategy of ‘total defence’.

A debate on defence spending that has re-emerged within the NATO Alliance seems to have exacerbated tensions between the two sides of the transatlantic partnership. Continuing a long tradition of defining itself in opposite terms against its neighbour to the south, Canada’s approach to this debate offers a rarely explored take on burden sharing within the Alliance.

Traditional methods of rigging elections are falling out of favour in the eyes of leaders keen to have their authoritarian regimes validated at the ballot box. Aided by digital technologies, a loyal supporter base and a lucrative party identity and narrative, opposition parties like Zimbabwe’s MDC are taking their turn at manipulating the outcomes of elections, and forcing the hand of those who...

A flurry of recent activity on the North Korean diplomatic front has kept researchers in the Proliferation and Nuclear Policy programme at RUSI extremely busy over the past few months. Their latest research findings indicate that policymakers should focus on pursuing small gains over a grand bargain, as well as balancing Tokyo’s long-term view and scepticism of China with Seoul’s focus on short-...

This issue of Newsbrief includes articles on the Russian nationalist motorycle club known as The Night Wolves, the Crime/Terror Nexus, the American military presence in Iceland, and sport diplomacy at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

The joint Russia–China Vostok exercises demonstrated some military cooperation between the two. However, the more significant event was the concomitant Eastern Economic Forum, an investment forum hosted in Russia’s Far East. Amid a depressed economy, Russia is attempting to encourage Chinese investment in the Far East, but many deals with China have fallen through and large-scale investment is...

In 1947, Pakistan’s army inherited the default position and strategy of British India in opposing Russian influence and inroads into Afghanistan and Central Asia. Now, for the first time in 200 years, they have reversed the old British policy of confronting the Russians for control over Central Asia. Pakistan’s army now sees the Russians as their strategic partners.

The various artworks and the demonstrator model all includes canted vertical stabilisers, which are a feature on all currently operational fighter aircraft, but not the US Air Force’s famous B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, or various flying wing/cranked kite shapes that have come to characterise unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) demonstrators produced around the world, including Taranis, nEUROn,...

STOVL Vs CV Operation - Benefits and LimitationsThe traditional method of operating fast jets from ships is to use steam-operated catapaults for take-off and arrester wires and tailhooks for landing. These systems are expensive, high maintenance and require a large ship to permit efficient flight deck operations. They also impose large loads on the aircraft and hence significant weight penalties...

The need to counter UAS has been understood for some time but has so far gained limited traction within stretched budgets and competing demands. However, this is changing and a whole spectrum of projects have been started to address this challenge. With such a wide variety of potential UAS threats to tackle, it is unsurprising that unique and innovative approach are being tested, from training...

BAE Systems, which is one of the prime partners within the Eurofighter consortium that produced Typhoon, and which also produces significant parts of each F-35 built globally, faces a major problem. While ongoing upgrades to Typhoon for customers such as Kuwait and Qatar, and potentially Germany, help to maintain a core of design, integration and testing skills in the workforce, the Typhoon...

Attacks on energy infrastructure are not new. In 2007, the US government ran the Aurora Test to prove that a cyberattack could destroy the physical components of a generator. A few years later, US intelligence used Stuxnet to destroy and disrupt Iranian nuclear centrifuges. This operation presaged a new dawn in cyber warfare, vividly illustrating the digital vulnerability of energy systems....

In parallel with the development of UAVs, the use of airborne sensor/C2 platforms such as the EC-121 and E-3 AWACS for air targets and the E-8 JSTARS and Sentinel R-1 for ground targets has also steadily increased. The radars on these platforms are much more capable than those carried by any fighter-type aircraft because of greater size and power. As a result, they could take on much of the...

Bearing these factors in mind enables a greater level of insight into the purpose of a specific base, and thereby a greater understanding of the strategic outlook of the countries involved. Britain’s choices in the renewal of its overseas posture point to a desire to exert more influence over international events, particularly in the Middle East using naval means. While these choices are not...

China as a Rising Drone PowerChina’s first-generation systems were somewhat rudimentary; simple and capable of carrying a relatively light payload, and were not satellite-linked – meaning they could conduct strikes within a limited scope, but could not operate globally. System development has expanded over the past few years at a rapid rate, leading to the emergence of next-generation systems....

This Occasional Paper reviews the efforts of national authorities to harness the opportunities of data analytics for anti-money-laundering purposes. It sets out potential methods and their benefits, as well as other factors that should be considered to ensure the proportionality and sustainability of innovative approaches.

This Occasional Paper examines the efforts underway in the UK, France, Germany and the US to produce new combat aircraft and systems over the next fifteen to twenty years; sheds light on some of the challenges and drivers; and suggests some potential options for force optimisation

The 2018 UK PONI Papers examine contemporary civil and military nuclear issues and are written by emerging experts from academia, government and industry who presented at the 2018 UK Project on Nuclear Issues (UK PONI) Annual Conference.

This is the updated version of the model law from the previous guidance paper produced by RUSI on countering proliferation finance. It aims to assist governments seeking to strengthen their legal and institutional frameworks to counter proliferation finance.

This report seeks to critically assess the use of machine learning algorithms for policing, and provide practical recommendations designed to contribute to the fast-moving debate over policy and governance in this area.

In recent years, Kenya has seen an increasing interest in understanding the participation of women in violent extremist activity. This report summarises the proceedings of a research seminar jointly hosted by RUSI and the French Institute for Research in Africa that investigated women's involvement with violent extremist organisations and the gendered impact of violent extremism.

This paper seeks to establish the baseline for a discussion on proliferation finance in the (re)insurance sector. The insurance industry can play a vital role in contributing to the successful implementation of international sanctions and wider counter proliferation efforts against North Korea.

The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers 16th Annual Conference was jointly organised by the United Nations Association – UK, the United Nations Association – Westminster, and RUSI. This report outlines the proceedings of the conference, where sessions focused on missions where there is no peace to keep, future peacekeeping, and challenges of leadership in today’s complex missions.

A report on the eighteenth annual RUSI Missile Defence Conference held on 30 May 2018, marking a significant contribution to the evolution of policy while advancing discussion of missile defence issues between senior policymakers and practitioners.

Written by Lord Peter Ricketts, former National Security Adviser and UK Ambassador to France, this Briefing Paper recommends that the UK and France step up joint work on defence, security and nuclear deterrence policy.

Despite a looming split, the UK must seek to create a new relationship with the EU while strengthening ties with major European and non-European partners. Such measures could allow the UK to continue to contribute to resolving major security challenges.

Dr Igor Sutyagin argues that while Russia's recent military modernisation constitutes an important change in its own right, the most significant change is not to the size of the Russian military but to the nature of its forces: instead of being primarily structured for defensive operations (in case of a hypothetical large-scale military conflict), the Russian armed forces are now gaining an offensive-oriented structure, with capabilities tailored for large-scale war.

Professor Malcolm Chalmers presents a personal argument stating that a UK decision to leave the EU would be as significant a shift in UK national strategy as the decision in the late 1960s to withdraw from bases East of Suez and, as a result, would necessitate a new Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR).

While the 2015 Spending Review confirmed a stabilisation in the total defence and security budget after a period of sharp decline, a new RUSI report reveals a substantial shift in the way this is being spent across the government.

India’s power projection remains in a nascent stage while its threat perceptions continue to be dominated by local threats. But as the country’s power, interests and capabilities all grow, India may once more find itself using military force beyond its land borders

Despite a decade-long UN arms embargo, North Korea continues to export conventional weapons to state and non-state clients around the world. Understanding the drivers of this trade is essential if the sanctions regime is to be strengthened.

In Project Haldane, the British Army’s endeavour to breathe new life into its reserve forces, the Army faces a unique opportunity to ensure its Reserve is configured for the next war; how it reacts may determine its future as a Reference Force.

The articles below were informed by a roundtable discussion in London in October 2018 between the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) and RUSI to discuss the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. While the discussion revealed some differences in perspective, it was agreed that expert dialogue can play an important role in informing the policy positions of all governments concerned.

Modern deterrence is concerned with how countries employ their resilience potential to deter today’s hybrid threats, especially through the involvement of the private sector and civil society. New approaches will likely build on the practices already developed by countries exhibiting a strategy of ‘total defence’.

A debate on defence spending that has re-emerged within the NATO Alliance seems to have exacerbated tensions between the two sides of the transatlantic partnership. Continuing a long tradition of defining itself in opposite terms against its neighbour to the south, Canada’s approach to this debate offers a rarely explored take on burden sharing within the Alliance.

For the first In Context podcast, RUSI Director-General Dr Karin von Hippel talks to Chris DiBona, Director of Open Source at Google. Chris has witnessed the rise of one of the biggest tech firms on...

Corporate

Individual

RUSI members enjoy privileged access to the RUSI Journal, Newsbrief and Defence Systems as well as invitations to our full programme of exclusive members’ lectures and seminars. Members also have access to our renowned Library of Military History and online catalogue.